Pastor Dorcas Rigathi cuts the ribbon during the launch of the Loitokitok Widows Sacco on Thursday at Kimana Ward in Kajiado South during a widows empowerment meeting. She was also the chief guest of the Nyeri Widows Sacco launch months ago, and also the DIMKES DT SACCO 25th anniversary celebrations in Kiambu. All these saccos strengthen the financial muscle of widows and women. Photo/ODP
By ODP
The launch of the Loitokitok Widows Sacco on Thursday cast a positive spotlight on the plight of widows in Kenya during an event attended by local leaders from Kajiado County.
This happened months after the launch of the Nyeri Widows Sacco that was hosted by Governor Mutahi Kahiga, and also local leaders from the county government and also the grassroots.
Pastor Dorcas Rigathi was the chief guest during the two events cementing her commitment in uplifting the lives of widows, who are vulnerable in the society following the loss of their spouses.
Pastor Dorcas, who started working with widows since her university days has also attended a widows conference at the UN in Newyork, and also the Africa Widows Summit in Zanzibar where she spoke passionately of widows.
As a former banker, Pastor Dorcas has also emphasized the importance of financial freedom for widows, even advocating for a widows sacco in the country. The launch of the two saccos – Nyeri and Loitokitok – makes this vision a great reality in the lives of thousands of widows.
“When we save the little we have in the Sacco, and engage in economic activities, we shall prosper and do great things in our lives and nation. I believe in women and their ability to work hard. A Sacco asks; what do you have in your hand? And as we bring this resources together, they become a big thing,” said Pastor Dorcas.
In Loitokitok, the widows received 50 goats from wellwishers to enhance milk production for their nutrition and also to generate income for their households. The widows have also started other projects, that include establishment of tree nurseries to helpp them generate an income.
The First Lady of Kajiado County, Edna Lenku, and Nominated Senator Peris Tobiko were present during the launch of the Sacco and encouraged the widows in the vision of uniting through finances, even as they the widows were officially handed the Sacco certificate.
“When a woman has KSh500 or KSh1000, it will do a lot of work, and even the man will find it at home in form of food and other things, but not so the man; he might go through the butchery and other places, and the money will all be spent,” said Sen Tobiko.
Widows who attended the event were more than three thousand, and appreciated the goat donations, and also dry foodstuffs distributed.
Kikoran Kirasi, 81 years old, appreciated the kind gesture towards widowhood, saying that the donations of goats and foodstuffs would cushion the lives of the vulnerable widows from the lack they face almost on a daily basis.
Serah Loomputua, 56 years old, said that the issues of land, property and inheritance remained problematic for widows especially in families where polygamy is rampant.
Pastor Dorcas also attended the 25th anniversary celebrations for DIMKES DT SACCO last month, on July 19, a Sacco that was started by members of the Mothers Union of the Anglican Church of the Mount Kenya South Diocese.
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